


Until their safe return

by CrossGenesis



Category: Transformers
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Pre-War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:40:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrossGenesis/pseuds/CrossGenesis
Summary: Family was a concept foreign to Cybertronians until their arrival on Earth.Or so they believed.(Ever wondered where Soundwave got his "mother-henning" insticts?)
Relationships: Optimus Prime |Orion Pax/ Shockwave
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	1. Home

Soundwave did not trust Shockwave.

Not his blank slate. Not his lack of emotion. _Not this one._

Not this _Shockwave_.

The Senator turned Decepticon Mad Scientist paced his heavy steps across the broken pavement leading to the Ark-1 Memorial Grounds. _This place was of silver and gold and life_. A place of commemoration of a journey long overdue, a rendezvous for the only two kinds of good that came out of the Senate, and witness to an advancement Cybertron has yet to have a word for.

Shockwave stopped in front of the Ark Statue. Turning his large optic casing to the badly ruined replica of the ship before looking down at the worse state of the words and names that decorates the statue. With his blunt digits, he wiped the words that prays to whatever god he believes in. _Until their safe return._

“You’ve been following me for reasons I find irrelevant”

Soundwave found a certain familiarity in Shockwave’s words. The same voice, only now it was monotonous and lacking of any emotion, sympathy – _care._ That one bright optic turned to Soundwave’s position; hidden in the shadows, behind the entrance pillars.

There was silence between them.

Soundwave hears nothing from Shockwave, not his thoughts, not his voice, not his emotions. Nothing.

Shockwave had nothing to read or understand on the visor that hides Soundwave’s entire face.

In a cruel irony, the world seemed to continually mock both of them. Shockwave was a product of a hideous punishment of the old Senate, a blank slate. While Soundwave chose to be one. 

Their emotions both masks in ways that they cannot read each other, ways that prevents them from understanding. Remaining unreadable. Remaining unsure. Nevertheless. _They remained._

_You’ve been following me for reasons I find irrelevant._

“…little one”.

Senator Shockwave let his folded arms rest against the pillar where the trembling Soundwave was unsuccessfully hiding. A smile made its way up his faceplates as his newest student, or as he hoped he'd be, curled his frame closer to the pillar. Hiding away his blushing cheeks, hugging his knees tighter to his chest. _Much like how the Senator found him in front of his shuttle just a few cycles past._

Shockwave always has a shuttle waiting for him to instruct his next destination. His paint was a fragile and integral part of his frame and he did not want it getting messed up with the high winds of the Cybertronian atmosphere and travelling by his alt mode is almost synonymous to suicide or stupidity. A high-caste mech like himself should have had guards watching over him, if only he was not too stubborn or too convinced that guard mechs are needed more in the dangerous confines of their moons where miners risk their function at every hit and drag of the moon’s surface. 

It was late in the cycle, their moons were already up. He stepped out of the Senate and found his shuttle already waiting for him.

He was heading to the non-sentient vehicle when he noticed a silhouette curled beside the fans that spews up the excess heat in the vehicle frames. Shockwave tried to be as silent as he could, but the silhouette seemed to have noticed him pace nearer. Red visor looking up to his shock and instantaneously turning away.

A mech with a dark paint of blue stood up from the warm fans and made a run for it. The senator seemed to remember that he was a flight frame at the most needed of times and overtook the mech running away.

Transforming back into his root mode in front of the mech and opening his much larger frame in an attempt to stop the mech from running away. Closing his arms around the trembling and cold frame.

“Don’t run- Help! I want to help- Live. Help you live” the mech stuttered the words that seemed to have been extracted from Shockwave’s processors, softening his embrace when the cold mech showed no more resistance “Shockwave…you’re Shockwave. I want to- It’s noisy. Too loud- Help me, Shockwave. Senator Shoc-”

The flight frame shushed the mech gently. Running his servos on his helm. The dark mech with a red visor did not stop trembling even if he knew of the pure intentions the senator has for him. He heard the Senator’s processors scream of his genuine fascination towards his unique gifts; he heard the theories Shockwave was already listing and the speeches he’d compose to further prove his stand against Functionalism. But loudest of all: the dark, trembling mech heard Senator Shockwave’s spark pulse in joy, giddiness, and excitement with the thought that _they’d be thrilled to meet a new student._

Shockwave was anything but quiet, but his noise. His noise was one the young Soundwave could tolerate and find solace in

“Well, if it would cheer you up” The Senator took another peek over Soundwave who was slowly scooting farther away from Shockwave, still leaning against the pillar- as if struggling to keep warm as he used to do “I only noticed you when I was already in front of the Memorial”

Soundwave turned his optics up to Shockwave who was still kindly looking at him. With his gentle blue optics and gentle smile that had never abandoned his features. Even when Glitch broke the shuttle, or when Windcharger made a mess of the Academy Lab, or when Soundwave tried to run-off to the streets again.

It was not that Soundwave was not grateful of the home he’d been offered. Not that he’s thankful for the energon he used to beg for, or the warm berth he recharged on- it was truly an upgrade from the cold streets or the space against the warm fans of shuttles. He was grateful, truly. It’s the noise he couldn’t stand.

Soundwave immediately learned that Senator Shockwave was a mech who has to queue the mechs who wants to have a fragment of his time. A lot of mechs were under his care and his jurisdiction. His presence constantly needed in the Senate and in other parts of Iacon. Soundwave only sees Shockwave if he was in the Academy, and still then; Shockwave was still occupied. The younger mech wanted to be around him for as much as he can because his noise was not like Windcharger that was deafening, not like Skids that was confusing, or not like Glitch that was mortifying. _Shockwave’s noise was one he could tolerate._

He’d wait for Shockwave to return to the Academy every night.

Soundwave had been told that Shockwave has his own suite in a certain tower exclusive for Senators, but prefers to recharge in the Academy. Whether it was because the Academy was free of the faces he despises, or that his work was more organized in his Academy laboratory, or that he’d get to visit each one of his students in their dorm suites at the end of his work and dues.

Find Windcharger and Trailcutter still up in the late of night, having a heated game in their console.

Giggle upon finding Skids in deep recharge with another complex datapad on his servos.

Smile towards Glitch who was once again apologizing for breaking another laboratory equipment or spare shuttle with his uncontrolled abilities –telling him that there is none to forgive because what he does is as natural as the rest of the planet transforming.

Then turn to Soundwave who was already on his berth, frame turned away from the suite’s door so that the Senator would not notice the slight flicker on his visor that indicates he’s still not in recharge. Shockwave would just stand by the door, looking at the cold frame curled on the berth and Soundwave will hear a promise the Senator repeated to each and every one of his students. A promise he’d never let his glossa form but is constantly running through his processors. _I will help you live._

It was not that Soundwave was not grateful. It’s just that he didn’t belong there.

Senator Shockwave dropped to one of his knees and offered out his hand to Soundwave who was still very reluctant to take it.

“I was not running awa-”

“Yes. I know, little one” it seems that his smile can be gentler, more caring than it already was “Even if you were, I wouldn’t be that _shocked_ ”

Soundwave took his offered hand and stood up from the corner he curled himself in. Shockwave smiled to a few mechs as they both returned in front of the Ark-1 Memorial Statue. Rubbing off the few, barely noticeable specks of dirt. Shockwave opened his subspace and retrieved a small batch of flowers which glowed in a baby blue hue. 

“Soundwave” The Senator did not meet the sparklet’s optics as his designation was spoken, but Soundwave perfectly read the emotion his designation rarely brings. _Concern._ “I want to bring you home”


	2. Acknowledged

His optic met with Soundwave. If it were a different time, the younger mech would have no trouble reading every screw, every crevice on his faceplates curved to a gentler smile, and every glint in those lights which used to glow of a peaceful blue.

Soundwave would have known all his intentions. _Like how he did before._

It was the reason he trusted him so.

If only times were different but the time is now. And now, he could no longer read his face that needed no outlier ability to comprehend, he could no longer hear those unspoken promises of giving him- _them_ \- a chance to a normal life with no fear of Proteus or Sentinel or the entire Senate hunting them all down and weaponizing them -robbing them of the freedom they had every right to have. He could only see a lone optic encased in a purple helm, hear a deafening tune of silence, and feel a mortifying sense of familiarity in his presence.

“There was a time-” Soundwave’s monotonous words seem to stumble at certain syllables. “You offered shelter to my minority”

“A time lost” the scientist replied, “A time that must be forgotten if we seek the fulfillment of the Decepticon Cause. To live in the past is-”

A nuisance. The problem with having to feel everyone’s emotions and know everyone’s thoughts before they could even formulate in their own brain modules and circuitries, was that when it has his own emotion that creeps into his spark and processors, Soundwave can yet comprehend them.

Their meeting as members of the resistance against the Senate under Megatron’s leadership was recent. Soundwave was convinced Starscream brought in just another influential mech or a crazed mercenary. Soundwave paid no heed to whoever this poor empurata victim was and was just very much convinced that he’d one day have to snuff his own spark.

Soundwave never did fully trust anyone- that happens when you know of everyone’s malice and true intentions just by being at close proximity. Soundwave had only trusted one mech because of all the voices he hears in his head, _that mech’s noise was one he could tolerate._ But at seeing the purple mech with a lone optic encased in a purple helm, Soundwave realized that the silence bothered him more than the noise because his _noise was once one he could tolerate._

Soundwave could not hear even a whisper from this mech or mercenary Starscream just brought in. And what he does not hear, he does not know. What he does not know, he does not trust. Who he does not trust, _he will not hesitate to kill._

Until he found out, from a hushed conversation between gossiping Vosian Seekers, that the scientist was also a senator once. The same one who offered him a-

“Home. With mechs like yourself” His optics met with Soundwave. The younger mech did not have trouble reading every screw tightened in concern, every crevice on his faceplates curved to a gentle smile, and every glint in those lights which bathes in a warm color of blue. “You’re a gifted mech, Soundwave”

His red visor tried to meet with the Senator’s optics. _Gifted._ Soundwave knew that Shockwave would be saying that sentence, those words. But hearing them in his audials filled with the concern he knew was evident in Shockwave’s spark overwhelmed him still.

Soundwave was called a lot of things. _Bad things._

But never _gifted._ He liked how, for once, he was not simply the troubled mech. Not that _weird one._

“Hey weird!” Soundwave’s helm shot up from the datapad he was engaged in, finding Windcharger approaching their nearly assembled set of engines, unfamiliar parts of a new system Shockwave designed. “Aren’t faceplates a bit out of style?”

The silent mech chose to ignore him and returned to the last set of tubes he was welding into the engine. The grey outlier’s intentions were not ill, it’s just offensive words are modulated through his processors and slip through his vocal mainframes. Soundwave, having the luxury of knowing the unfiltered thoughts, knows that it is how most mechs think, most are just very selective of the words they utilize. _Windcharger was not most mechs, evidently_.

None of them were like most mechs.

“Not a wise choice of words-” Glitch said from the far-side of the engine, toying with a wrench that he earlier used on the engine as well, “-given that Soundwave could weld two certain plates on your face shut”

“Soundwave: Unaggressive”

“Looks like you found someone who you couldn’t annoy, Windcharger” The supervising senator laughed from the seat beside Glitch. Jotting down his additional observations regarding his students.

Senator Shockwave always personally taught the outliers their lessons, may they be general lectures in the Academy or specialized ones that even functioning Iaconian Scientist still call their applied practices theoretical sciences. The only lesson he could not teach them were their combat skills, it was one he let another take over. Yet it’s one he still supervises. One he supervises not due to the outliers, but that mech that facilitates those training periods.

“Orion’s out front” Windcharger said. Shockwave’s optics turned a tint brighter.

The rest of the outliers could not help but let a round of hushed laughter escape their vocalisers, all except Soundwave who merely stopped welding into the engine. The Senator tried regaining his composure and cleared the statics on his vocal processors.

“Well-” the Senator cleared his vocalisers one last time, “Comm him our whereabouts. Start tidying up”

Windcharger started to pick up a few littered screws, bolts, and datapads around the machinery Soundwave stopped tinkering. “Skids! Ain’t got a lot of theories like you do but can you second the motion that our mentor has a crush?”

“Pax and I?” the Senator returned the class records into his subspace, joining his students in cleaning up.

“Didn’t say a name, did I Senator?” Windcharger giggled, raising a servo for Skids to receive.

“I’m not his type” Shockwave’s optics seemed to have dimmed.

“He’s certainly your type” Skids returned, both the statement and the high-five

The Senator playfully threw a smaller wrench to his mischievous pair of students that were all too happy about catching him off-guard. It’s not like it’s a secret though and it’s not like he could hide so much from this set of gifted mechs. Shockwave smiled at the noise around him, their teasing died off into conversations these students of his seemed to never tire of, then turned to where the conversation seemed to not have breached. “Tidy up, little one”

“Engine: Unfinished”

“Haven’t even been completed since Senator brought it here” Trailcutter dived into the conversation “-we ain’t seen anything like it”

Skids returned picked the last of the littered screws from the floor. “What was it again?”

“It’s a ground bridge” When Shockwave answered, Soundwave turned his helm to the control panels. Opening the program that had the message _NONOPERATIONAL: SAFETY PROTOCOLS ARE NOT MET_.

“That didn’t really clear anything up” Glitch admitted

“You all know, Skywarp. Flight-frame, really bad temper-”

“Drop out” cutted Windcharger

Shockwave sent a reprimanding glare then turned to the rest of the class that requested another lecture on the theory of the machine. “Teleporter. What he does is not ‘magic’, his frame is embedded with a drive unique to his own. This ground bridge replicates that ability. You step into it here, from Iacon and step out at anypoint in Cybertron. I have theories on how to amplify it one an intergalactic scale, but Skywarp and I had yet tested that”

_Nor could he ever have it tested again._

“Does it even work” Glitch asked again

The senator laughed “Have we met, mech? I’m Shockwave. Of course, it works”

Windcharger approached Soundwave crouched on the controls, “Sounders, we’ve been at it for a joor. Pax will be here soon his lessons are always bad for the back struts. Don’t be too hard, Skids can’t even get that running for the past cy-”

“Safety protocols executed. Ground Bridge: Operational” Soundwave declared and as soon as he did. The machine replaced the discouraging words. The large circle was filled with a void that seemed to suck a portion of the gravity in the room, it was bearable yet mostly fascinating to all. Save for the mech who designed it and the one who rendered it operational.

The machine now read: _SAFETY PROTOCOLS EXECUTED. GROUND BRIDGE: OPERATIONAL._

“-cles. How-?” Windcharger was cut off again by an applaud from Shockwave.

“Well done. Didn’t expect it to be possible. But well done”

“Wait-”Trailcutter raised his helm, “Senator, you don’t mean that you didn’t know that this thing would work. You don’t mean Soundwave-”

The Senator laughed again “No, I had it operational before I brought it here. We should change the coordinates though, that’s currently pin-pointed in Proteus’s office. You should have seen his face when I popped in there and found him on the desk- that’s not something you should hear. Anyway!” Shockwave clasped his two servos in front of his chestplate in appreciation and giddy, “I am astonished, Soundwave. Well done. Care to fill in your classmates how it was done?”

“Design: Senator Shockwave’s The mechanism was his doing”

“That didn’t really explain things” Glitch retorted. “Are all geniuses like these two?”

“We all expected Skids to have this covered” Shockwave took a place before the controls, changing the pin-pointed area somewhere else. “But, as observed. Skids is a super-learner. Not a super-processor. He needs to learn something in order to apply it and he does so at a very rapid rate”

“And I haven’t seen anything like this nor did I see the senator do it. Told you all that the first time we built it” Skids started examining the cogs and screws, as well as the programming of the ground bridge “Still, you haven’t answered our question”

“Soundwave knew how to do it-” Shockwave turned to Soundwave and waited for a light nod before finishing his sentence, “-because I did”

“Voices: I hear. Emotions: I feel” Soundwave turned his helm away when he could hear their eagerness to involve with him die off. “Thoughts: I know”

“You’re a telepath” Trailbreaker said

Soundwave nodded

“Everything? Like everything in our processors?” Windcharger said

Soundwave nodded

“That’s why you’re always quiet. You’re always listening” Skids said

With a pang in his spark. Soundwave looks away

“Astounding” Glitch whispered, “I mean- better than hands that break stuff. You know. You’re - wow”

“Wow indeed” the senator smiled “How about it, Soundwave? How’s this merry little band of misfits for a home?”

“Soundwave: Acknowledges”


End file.
